Posed in order of preference.
Two summers ago my eyes started having problems focusing. Things like glancing into the rearview mirror and then back to the road were problematic--like it would take several seconds for my eyes to re-focus whilst hurtling down the road at 65mph. Yes, I know, alarming and a bit dangerous.
Concerned, I went to see the opthamologist who did LASIK on me (7 yrs ago), maybe there was a surgical complication. He checked out my eyes and then said something about me getting older. I flipped out. "I'm only 40!" Trying to lower my voice, I hastened to add that I didn't experience this focus-problem while reading, in fact I could read fine print with ease, thank you very much. "Isn't it possible I have a tumor, or MS?" Family history, you know...
He agreed to see me again in three months. At the follow-up appointment we had pretty much the same conversation.
"It comes and goes!" was my new argument. "It couldn't be age-related if it doesn't happen all the time, could it?" His explanation was my eyes get fatigued after reading for an extended period of time and then they're not able to focus while driving. He encouraged me to purchase 1+ reading glasses at All a Dollar. I was miffed. He'd be sorry when I lost my eye to the tumor!
Nevertheless, I purchased reading glasses, several actually.
I am both dismayed and delighted to report that the problem persists despite diligently using the reading glasses for over two years. As before, it comes and goes--trouble focusing for weeks at a time, unbothered for another few. Squinting helps alot with getting things back into focus when driving, so I don't feel quite so hazardous on the road. Alas, it only worsens my mad-look.
I've come to the conclusion (almost) that it's actual fatigue, i.e. lack of sleep, that causes the problem. I just need a couple nights of 8.5hrs sleep in order to test my hypothesis. Easier said than done. Caffeine does not fix this problem.
Meanwhile, I still wear the reading glasses, just in case.
"Am I getting old?"
"Oh no, not you."
--from Gigi
